Age and Identity Flashcards
How is age linked to identity?
Age is looked at chronologically in terms of actual age and through the life stages (childhood > youth > adulthood)
It’s the ages in which the life course start and end which varies.
It can be socially constructed.
Individuals differ by keeping their youth for longer.
What is the childhood stage?
Socially constructed.
Media portrays children as angles or little devils.
Children grow up quicker.
Isn’t a period of innocent, in the UK children work at 16 and fight at 16-18.
POSTMAN “DISAPPEARANCE OF CHILDHOOD”
Childhood emerged from the literacy spread that enabled adults to better shield children from aspects of adult life.
What is the youth stage?
Aged 12-25
A transitional stage period to adulthood.
Rebellious and resistance.
MEAD “YOUTH”
Storm and stress associated with youth is culturally specific and not present in all cultures.
What is the middle age stage?
40’s - 50’s
BRADLEY “YOUTH AND MIDDLE AGE”
A higher status is given compared to youth or old age.
Middle aged people are running the country and hold power at work.
The mid-life crisis and empty nest syndrome is negatively linked with this stage.
What is the old age stage?
Debatable on when this starts.
Youth are admired compared to those of the old age.
CORNERS “OLD AGE STUDY”
Language used by those of the old age about their identity is negative.
Participants saw themselves as the burden of the society.
How are age identities changing?
Postmodernist look at trends e.g living and working for longer expands the stages.
Anti-ageing products.
Extension of youth into adulthood (e.g. Youth starts from 12 and finishes at 27)
FEATHERSTONE AND HEPWORTH “MEDIAS IMAGE OF IDENTITY”
The medias imagine of identity creates new identities due to its negative stereotypes.
HOCKNEY AND JAMES “INFANTILISATION OF ELDERLY”
Old age links to childhood as they lose their personhood status.
The elderly are seen as vulnerable and helpless thus go through infantilisation.
HOCKNEY AND JAMES “GROWING UP GROWING OLD”
Children lack status of personhood and are separated and excluded from the public, adult world - largely confide to “specialist places” for children (e.g. Schools)z
They are opposite to adults.
